Snapshot of Taiwan News

Have been a bit busier than usual lately (odd since I'm unemployed), but anyways, I digress. Feel like I need to update with some quickies on what's going on in Taiwan. Although, I feel like not much of anything is going on as everyone is pretty much waiting upon actual ECFA news or the year-end municipalities elections.

News stories:

• Continued support from U.S. congressman for F-16 sales to Taiwan. Making it even more urgent, the F-16 C/D line that are being requested by Taiwan is set to be phased out of production sometime in the next two years.
  
• ECFA potentially affecting trade outside of the Taiwan Strait? Business opportunities between Taiwan and Argentina think this might be so. But of course, this is all just conjectures.
  
• Lin Yu-Chun (小胖) is signed by Sony Music. Look for his first album to drop in July. I'm pretty sure my dad will be ordering that CD...
• Foxconn of Taiwan is again tied into rumors of who/what/where/when/why the next Apple iPhone will be released.

Editorials:

• A senior research fellow at the Taiwan Brain Trust in Taipei has a hard-hitting piece on Ma Ying-jeou and his first 2 years as president. Wonder why Ma never talks about his famous 6-3-3 promise anymore?
  
• Excellent points brought up in this Taipei Times piece on why a peace accord between China and Taiwan is irrelevant. Basically he points out correctly that Taiwan does not equal the KMT/Republic of China. Any peace accord that may or may not happen should be negotiated between the CCP and the KMT, who happen to be residing on Taiwan.

As always, check out the Taiwan blog roll on the right side of the page; lots of great bloggers and a plethora of Taiwanese stuff!

A Fortnight of Taiwan News

Back from my vacation to Texas. Interestingly, it was quite colder there than in Seattle. Add to that, they received snow twice there, and I don't think Seattle got any.

Late, tired, and my blogging engine is still being dusted off- so for those who semi-rely on my blog for news about Taiwan, here's some of the major developments:

• The Legislative Yuan reverses the un-ban on US Beef; Ma reneges.
• China balks over the recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Note the error that shows up consistently in Taiwan articles, "Communist-ruled China split with Taiwan amid civil war in 1949..." Fact: China and Taiwan did not split in a "civil war" in 1949; Rather, the Communist Part of China regained control of China, and forced the losing Nationalists to flee to Taiwan, and setup their temporary-turned-permanent government on Taiwan.
  
• DPP gains 3 more seats in legislative by-elections; Taiwan's press, comments on Ma's future. Note that these by-elections are mainly due to the KMT's previous winners being annulled for vote buying.
  
• Apple Tablet PC pretty much on schedule for release this year, as a Taiwan manufacturer steps up to make those cases.
  

Not much to say tonight, but that Tsai Ing-wen is moving the DPP on the right track. Let's hope this momentum can continue well into 2012. More elections later on this year will likely give the clearest indication as to whether Ma will see a second term.